The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors having magnetic assemblies.
Ethernet connectors, especially of the magnetic variety, are well known in the art. Although connectors of this type were originally intended for use in telecommunications, they have found wide acceptance in a variety of applications. For example, modular jacks are now commercially available as input/output interface connectors for networking applications, e.g., as an Ethernet connector.
When employed as Ethernet connectors, modular jacks generally receive an input signal from one electrical device and then communicate a cleaned up corresponding output signal to a second device coupled thereto. Magnetic circuitry is utilized in the transfer of the input signal of one device to the output signal of the second device and employed as a means of cleaning the input signal during transfer from the first device to the second.
Known Ethernet connectors are not without disadvantages. As Ethernet connectors transmit at higher data rates, such as up to 10 Gbps and higher, the magnetic circuitry is unable to maintain impedance matching and return loss responses within desired limits, leading to distortion or degradation in the data transfer.
A need remains for an electrical connector that uses magnetic isolation circuitry that is capable of data transfer at high data rates with minimal distortion or degradation in the signals.